Arc Flash Data Collection Form

Subject to the selected calculation method, different equipment data is required for an arc flash hazard analysis. We recommend using the IEEE 1584 empirically derived model for arc flash study due to the method's ability to accurately account for a wide variety of setup parameters:

open and box equipment configurations,

grounding of all types and ungrounded,

gap between conductors of 3 to 152 mm.,

bolted fault currents in the range of 700A to 106kA,

system voltages in the range of 208V to 15kV

For cases where voltage is over 15kV or gap is outside the range of the model, the theoretically derived Lee method can be applied and is included in the ARCAD Arc Flash Analytic V5.0 software and in the free Online Arc Flash Calculator. The method requires the following equipment data for an arc-flash hazard study:

Description

Data

System voltage, V

Available 3-phase short circuit current (ASCC), kA

Part of ASCC through upstream protection device, kA

Type of enclosure (Open Air | Switchgear | MCC & Panel | Cable)

Upstream protection device

Gap between exposed conductors, mm.

Grounding type (grounded | ungrounded)

Working distance, mm.

Incident energy @ AFB, cal/cm2

The incident energy at arc flash boundary (AFB) of 1.2 cal/cm^2 for bare skin is used in solving equation for arc flash boundary in the IEEE 1584 Guide for Performing Arc Flash Hazard Calculations. However, the Guide equation for arc flash boundary can be solved with other incident energy levels as well such as the rating of proposed personal protective equipment (PPE). It is shown that the incident energy at AFB is rather a variable function of heat flux, and the arc flash boundary equation should be in fact solved for boundary energy computed using the Equation 2 especially for cased when arc duration is less than one (1) second. ARCAD's AFA V5.0 software is the first and currently the only arc flash software capable to calculate arc flash boundaries based on the 1.2 cal/cm2 (5 Joules/cm2) incident energy or the evaluated onset to second degree burn energy.